1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a data input and processing apparatus having a spelling-check function, and more particularly to means for dealing with detected misspelling of entered character data.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
There is known a typewriter which is capable of detecting the misspelling of a word printed based on keyed-in character data, and presenting to the operator at least one candidate word which can be substituted for the misspelled word. This type of typewriter includes (a) printing means for printing character data entered through a keyboard, (b) memory means for storing the entered character data, (c) spelling-check means operable upon entry of word-separation data such as a space or period indicative of termination of a word, for checking to see whether a word represented by the character data stored in the memory means is misspelled or not, and (d) candidate indicator means responsive to the spelling-check means, for presenting at least one candidate word which can replace the printed word which is detected as a misspelled word by the spelling-check means. If one of the at least one candidate word presented by the candidate indicator means is selected, the printed misspelled word is erased, and the selected candidate word is printed in place of the erased misspelled word. This arrangement is advantageous, requiring reduced efforts of the operator to correct the misspelled word.
In the typewriter indicated above, however, the desired candidate word replacing the misspelled word must be selected before the misspelled word is erased. This leads to lowering the data correcting or printing efficiency. Described more specifically, since the erasure of the misspelled word requires considerable time, it is more efficient to first initiate the erasure of the detected misspelled word, for giving the operator more time for considering selection of one of the presented candidate words, during the erasure of the misspelled word, than to urge the operator to first select the desired candidate word prior to the initiation of the erasure of the misspelled word.
Further, once the erasure of the misspelled word is started, the operator cannot manipulate the typewriter until the erasure of the misspelled word and the printing of the candidate word are completed. This arrangement is inconvenient. Namely, the erasure of the misspelled word and the printing of the candidate word require a relatively long time, during which the operator may change his or her mind, desiring to print a candidate word different from that one selected. Thus in the prior art, the newly selected word must be printed only after the initially selected word has been printed and then erased, since it is necessary that the selected word is printed.
The typewriter discussed above is further adapted such that an operation corresponding to a word-separation key such as a space key, a carriage return key or a tab key, is started as soon as the word-separation key is operated, even where an entered word terminated by the operated word-separation key is detected as a misspelled word. In this arrangement, the correction of the misspelled word requires the carriage to be moved back to the position of the misspelled word.
The carriage may be rapidly returned to the position of the misspelled word if the typewriter has a memory for storing the position of the last printed word. However, if the typewriter does not have such a memory, it requires a relatively long time for the carriage to return to the position of the misspelled word. For example, if the carriage return key is operated, the carriage must be returned to the misspelled word by operating the backspace key, and the paper must be fed back to the previous line by operating the paper reverse-feed key, since the position of the misspelled word is not stored in a memory. Thus, the correction of the misspelled word requires a cumbersome procedure.
Further, if the word-separation key such as the symbol key corresponding to a comma or period is operated to terminate a word detected as a misspelled word due to lack of a character or addition of an unnecessary character, the printed comma or period must be erased and re-printed at a different position, since the insertion of a new character or the deletion of the unnecessary character to correct the misspelled word results in the shifting of the comma or period for the corrected word. This also increases the time and effort required to correct the misspelled word followed by a comma or period, for example.